The Kish church: an Albanian temple above Şəki

The temple in the village of Kish, five or six kilometres above Şəki at the foot of the mountains, is among the best-known relics of Caucasian Albania in Azerbaijan.

What Caucasian Albania was

This is an ancient state unrelated to modern Albania — it existed in what is now northern Azerbaijan from the centuries BC into the Middle Ages. The Albanians adopted Christianity early and built a number of churches in the region. In later centuries the population largely adopted Islam, but the buildings remained.

The Kish temple is among the best-preserved examples of that heritage. Popular accounts date it to a very early period; archaeological research indicates that the present building belongs to later centuries, while the place of worship beneath it is considerably older. In other words, the site itself is far older than the structure.

Inside

The building now functions as a museum:

• Graves under a glass floor. Burials uncovered during excavations lie beneath the temple and in its yard; some predate Christianity. Several of the skeletons are unusually tall, and this is the detail visitors remember most.
• Architecture. A small, round-domed, plain stone building. There is almost no decoration — the strength is in the geometry.
• Exhibition. Material on the region's history, the Albanian alphabet and the excavation finds.

In the yard there is a bust of the Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl, who visited Azerbaijan several times, took an interest in the region's ancient history and came to Kish.

How it fits into a Şəki trip

Kish is usually visited as part of a Şəki programme. A sensible one-day arrangement:

1. Morning: the Şəki Khan's Palace and the upper caravanserai.
2. Midday: the village of Kish — the temple and a walk around the village.
3. Afternoon: a hike — the forest trails around the village or towards the pastures.

The road above Kish climbs into the mountains and is the start of several hiking routes: Şəki, the Xan pasture hike.

Practical notes

• Museum entry is paid; a guide can be hired separately and is worth it.
• You can reach the village from Şəki by taxi or bus; walking is also possible — about an hour uphill.
• Şəki's halva and its silk workshops fit easily into the same trip.
• The region is rainy — bring a rain jacket.

For a two-day format: Şəki–Qax: two districts in one weekend.